DURBAN - A local choreographer is set to host a dance workshop with international choreo-
graphers who have worked with mega stars such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar.
The US dancing duo of Amy Morgan and Betty Rox will be in Durban on Sunday for the Dancehall, Jazz and Dance Workshop at the Durban Exhibition Centre.
Local choreographer Jemma van Breda of dance school Unity South Africa and the Joburg-based organisation Power in Dance are responsible for bringing the dancers to the city.
Van Breda said the dancers would run workshops.
Betty Rox choreography credits include Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar. Amy Morgan performed with Beyoncé at the Billboards awards.
“The choreographers teach sets of choreography to the dancers and perform at the end as well. Through that they select one dancer to receive a scholarship in America,” she said.
Van Breda founded Unity SA in 2017 as a platform to network and help develop local talent, with opportunities to win bursaries and exposure through collaboration on video projects.
“We create our own local content, including videos of dances we produce.
"The organisation works on two pillars, national and international exchange, cultural upliftment through re-energising our arts and culture in South Africa, as well as video-based projects.”
The intention was to create as many opportunities as possible for local performers.
“We are re-energising our arts industry and keeping the talent we have here. There have been very few job opportunities for artists in South Africa and so they have to find them elsewhere. We really want to keep the talent and use it here,” she said.
Van Breda was a recipient of a dance scholarship to the US in 2015.
“I received a one-month scholarship to the Millennium Dance Complex in California. I attended dance classes with Chris Brown and Ariana Grande’s dancers. The experience was amazing” she said.
Tickets for the workshop are R500 per person.